Supermundane
by Ave Anomis
Summary: BtVSHP---Buffy has a new life. A new mission. An old love... R
1. Fortune Favors the Brave

TITLE : Supermundane

AUTHOR : Ave

E-MAIL : avefic@yahoo.com

RATING : PG

SUMMARY : Buffy has a new life. A new mission. An old love… What happens when Hogwarts gets a new professor, and she gets more than she could wish for?

PAIRING : Will be B/A eventually, none for now, others may appear as well.

DISCLAIMER: The Buffyverse characters are not mine, they belong to Joss Whedon and other companies; Harry Potter and other HP-verse characters belong to J.K.Rowling. No infringement intended.

DISTRIBUTION : Anywhere, just ask and you will be granted.

FEEDBACK : Makes my day a lot brighter, and makes me write more! Constructive criticism is also very welcome, I would really like to hear what you have to say. And a response is guaranteed!

A/N: I know there are a few stories like this already written, but I have tried not to read them, so any similarities are purely coincidental, except some rather obvious ones.

A/N 2: To Ralkana, for being a great beta, a wonderful friend, and supporting my ideas! Thanks! To all B/A writers, because it is never over!

Chapter 1: Fortune Favors the Brave 

She was Buffy Summers, young woman. Not the Slayer, the Sister, the Mother, the Friend. And for the first time since she had come back, life was really worth living.

After the battle with the First was over, Buffy had decided to take some time for herself. Dawn was staying with Willow and Giles in London, helping them create a new Watcher's Council. Now, three months later, Buffy went to visit them in England.

***

It was a warm summer night. She was walking through King's Cross station, carrying only a duffel bag. Over the past years she had learned not to get too attached to material things. 

Looking at her watch, Buffy realized she'd gotten to the station too early. The train to Devonshire wasn't leaving for another hour. 

'Oh well, I might as well look around. See some of Giles' glorious England. Or…at least the train station of the capital. That's something too.' With a mental shrug, Buffy lifted her bag from the bench. After walking a circle around the station, she came back to the very same bench.

'Or I could sit here and do nothing. That's something I'm good at.'

Suddenly, the station was filling up with people. They came separately, but they all seemed to know each other. And all of them had very large trunks. 

'It seems that on August 25th this is the hangout for the strange-looking-with-heavy-trunks-and-so-passé-haircuts people. Stranger things have happened.' Buffy thought, but kept looking at them. It wasn't like she had anything else to do, after all…

 As they reached the divide between platforms 9 and 10, they seemed to vanish. At first, Buffy thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but her Slayer senses told her something weird was going on. She got a bit closer to the remaining people, trying to hear what they were talking about.

"…and Tonks, do you remember how Jackie was so excited about finally going to Hogwarts, so when she tried to walk to the platform, she got scared and crashed into it? That was a close one. All the people around us looked our way. I thought we wouldn't make it to the train." A man with thick straw-coloured hair said to his companion, a purple haired young woman.

'Hogwarts? Crashing into a platform? What's going on around here?' Buffy was now seriously confused, and more than that, very interested in these people.

"Look, Emmeline and Hestia went through. I guess it's our turn then." As the woman named Tonks said that, she and the man she was with stepped forward and just disappeared into the barrier.

With her preternatural senses going crazy, Buffy got to the place where Tonks had stood only moments ago. The Slayer in her was telling her to investigate, discover whatever there is to hide, so Buffy decided to try and follow the people.

'Here goes nothing.' She started to walk towards the barrier. People walked around her. She was going to smash right into that ticket box. The barrier was coming nearer and nearer. She closed her eyes, ready for the crash…

It never came. She kept on walking, and opened her eyes.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said, "Hogwarts Express, 10 o'clock". Buffy looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the ticket box had been, with the words "Platform 9 and ¾" on it.

Being the predator she was, Buffy quickly hid behind a wall. Smoke from the engine clouded her sight, but it was a welcomed disguise. As everybody put their trunks into the compartment and got into the train, the whistle let out a deafening shrill and the train started to move.

Buffy figured it was her chance, and she quickly got into the still half opened trunk compartment. There she sat in a corner, wondering where this train would take her.

***

Not having anything to do during the journey, except wait, Buffy started thinking about her life, and what had become of it after she was no longer the only Slayer available, Faith excluded. 

Now that she was by herself, there were many things she could do that had nothing to do with slaying. 

But being alone didn't mean she didn't care for anyone else anymore. She wrote to Dawn and Willow regularly, sometimes putting in a few words for Giles too. Xander was in Mexico with, surprisingly, Andrew. They were on a long vacation, taking time to heal, sending her postcards every now and then.

And it wasn't like she wasn't a Slayer anymore. That she was, maybe more than ever. Her senses and reflexes had improved, her night vision also, and she was stronger than before. She didn't know where that improvement had come from, but she didn't question it that much. The one thing she wondered about was how she had survived with that wound in her stomach. It had certainly been a mortal wound, and she had thought that was it for her, but then she had felt a burst of power, and there had been no more pain.

'I should ask Giles about it, next time I see him. Which might not be that soon judging by the length of this journey. It feels like we've been travelling for days now. I wonder…' A sudden stop interrupted her train of thoughts. 'I guess we're here. Let's see how far from Kansas are we…"

As the chattering of the crowd moved away, Buffy slowly crept out of her hiding place, and kept following the people.

***

She sneaked into what seemed to be a great hall, just as everybody standing there stopped talking. At first Buffy thought she had been caught, but then she noticed a man standing at the centre of the table. She gasped, taking in his appearance. He wore half moon glasses and had a long crooked nose. But the thing that surprised her was his hair. He had very long flowing hair, beard, and moustache that shone brightly as pure silver.

Then the man spoke.

"Welcome! I hope you all had a great journey. As we all know, a new year at Hogwarts is about to begin. I know you must all be tired, so I'll just say a few words. I suppose you all know that Lord Voldemort has returned. And I think it is unnecessary to point out that there are hard times ahead of us. The Second War has begun. Voldemort is once more recruiting followers for a fresh attempt to seize power. We know what the consequences would be. So any help that is sincerely and with good intentions offered will be greatly appreciated. Remain vigilant. And have a good afternoon." 

In small groups or by themselves, the people went in different directions, discussing the old man's words. A few of them passed Buffy, coming very close to her hiding place but not discovering her. She knew she had to find a better hiding position, and maybe look around in the process. So when the hall cleared out, she ran to the stairs and found herself in a maze of corridors. She walked through a couple of them, but realized there was no way she could find out anything without getting lost. Seeing a stone gargoyle that was big enough to hide behind, she quickly moved over there. But then the wall behind the statue opened and showed a man standing there. The same man with the silver hair, and a smile on his face.

"Hello, Miss Summers. Please come in."

***

Even though her mind told her to run away, she felt no harmful intentions coming off this man. And her curiosity got the better of her.

He led her to a beautiful circular room, lined with pictures of old looking men and women, all in robes. Buffy was surprised to see that they moved, but then she focused herself on the man in front of her, who was now sitting in a large armchair behind a desk.

"Sit down, Miss Summers. I am sure you have a lot of questions, and it will be very uncomfortable for you to stand during all that time."

She was very tired from the journey, so she sat down in a chair in front of the desk, with her guard still up.

"Okay, I don't want to be rude, but I don't know you, so getting to the point would be good. Who are you, where am I, and how the hell do you know my name?"

"You are one feisty woman, Miss Summers. I expected that much from you, I must say, knowing about your reputation. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. That is also the answer to your second question. You are in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And I know a lot more about you than just your name. Including the fact that you are the Slayer. I sensed you in the Great Hall from the moment you came in."

Now Buffy was truly astounded. 

"You know about me? You sensed me? What is going on?"

"You see, the world you are currently in is the wizard's world. You came here by getting through to platform 9 and ¾. A completely non-magical person, a Muggle, can't cross the barrier, not without a very special spell done from the inside. Neither can pure demons. Only witches, wizards and a few exceptions can get there. You being one of the exceptions. And since I am a wizard, I can feel you, but only because of my age and experience, so you don't have to worry about everybody here knowing who you are. I'm the only one.

"There is a proposal I want to make to you. I am sure you don't know anything about Harry Potter or Lord Voldemort, but you will soon, should you accept my offer. You see, Lord Voldemort is a Dark Wizard, and a very powerful one. He was defeated fifteen years ago, but now he is trying to regain power. I'm asking you to help me, and the wizarding world, in the war that is to come. The war against him."

Hearing his words, Buffy couldn't stop thinking about Willow and what had happened after Tara's death. Were it not for Xander… Buffy couldn't even think about it. And if that Lord What's-his-name was a wizard with more power, and pure evil from the core…

"How could I possibly help? I'm not a witch." And why should I accept your offer? What is there to accept? I'm sure you can defeat him again, if you have done it in the past. You don't need me."

"That is where you are very mistaken, Miss Summers. We need you very much. From what I understand about you, you have fought the forces of darkness for more than seven years now. You have a lot of experience in fighting, and you have saved the world a great number of times. I'm sure that means as much as you being a witch, if not even more. However, if you choose not to help us, I will arrange for you to go home safely whenever you wish to do so. But please, let me finish my proposal." Dumbledore stopped, letting her voice her opinions.

Buffy didn't say anything, just motioned for him to continue.

"We didn't defeat the Dark Lord. A little boy did. Voldemort killed his parents and tried to kill him, but the curse backfired, and reduced him to a being that is barely alive. That boy was Harry Potter. He is now in his sixth year here, and he has dealt with Voldemort for the past five years. But their last encounter killed Harry's godfather, so I'm afraid he will need a lot of time to heal, and someone to keep] him from doing a foolish thing, like seeking revenge. For now, anyway.

"That is why I am offering you a teaching position. Now, before you say anything, let me explain. You would be teaching a class called Defence. Until now, there has been no such class, and it won't exist if you decline my offer. As I'm sure you'll notice, that means I would open a new position just for you. 

"I am confident you can teach my students how to defend themselves against an attack without wands, and fight the enemy. You would teach only sixth and seventh year students, because they are the ones in the most danger. I will open a bank account for you and deposit your salary there at the end of every month. We can discuss the sum later. You will be able to take that money when you choose to leave. That solves the problem of supporting yourself after you go back home, of course, in case you accept the job. You will have your private and training rooms here in the castle, and as you will see, the food is excellent. I think that is all. Do you have any other questions?" Buffy could almost see a sparkle in Dumbledore's eyes as he leaned into the armchair with a small smile on his face.

She had to admit, the offer was very tempting. She definitely needed money, and she had trained the Potentials, after all. Still, it was all too weird. A whole new world. And she was supposed to fight a Big Baddie again. She knew nothing of this man, except for what he had told her, and she would be a professor. Her?! Who would've thought!

'Wait, girl! You're way ahead of yourself! You're actually considering it?' A small voice in her head squealed.

It would be a huge challenge…

With that thought, Buffy grinned and gave her answer to Dumbledore.

***

TBC...


	2. May the Other Part Also Be Heard

Chapter 2 : May the other part also be heard  
  
His summer hadn't been as bad as it could've been. The warning that the members of the Order had given to the Dursleys worked. They were too afraid to molest OR ignore Harry, so the summer went had gone by rather strangely at Number Four, Privet Drive. Harry had gotten three full meals each and every day, together with desserts and snacks, so he really couldn't complain about that. His aunt Petunia greeted him every morning with the same words: "Good morning, Harry. I hope you had a good night. How are you? Would you like some breakfast?" Answers weren't really asked for, because just after saying her lines, she turned and continued to put breakfast on the table.  
  
Uncle Vernon would only mumble something that sounded remotely like "good morning" without lifting his head up from the newspapers. And Dudley. The only really drastic change that Harry's Aunt and Uncle had made that summer was restricting Dudley from talking with Harry. At all. Dudley was to get his breakfast in his bedroom, and only come out when Harry wasn't around. Neither he nor his parents were happy about it, but they thought it would be too dangerous to order Harry to stay in his room instead of Dudley.  
  
And so the day would go on. They wouldn't talk to him, but if he asked for something he would get it. He was rather glad he didn't have to deal with them. They even bought him a TV for his room, so he wouldn't have to come to the living room to watch the news.  
  
Yet not one single improvement, if one could call them so, in his stay with the Dursleys meant anything to him. Everything seemed pointless. He walked around like a shadow, not caring for anything. He even turned down the offer to stay with the Weasleys for the summer, because he didn't want to deal with someone caring for him. The person that really had cared for him was dead, so Harry didn't want to feel like everybody else was a substitute. Ron and Hermione sent him letters often, asking how he was, but he always answered them with just one word. Fine. And he was nowhere near fine.  
  
***  
  
The journey from King's Cross to Hogwarts was uneventful. Harry sat in a corner, looking in front of him, and answering occasional questions from Ron and Hermione. They eventually stopped trying and started talking between themselves about their summers.  
  
Harry didn't mind. He didn't think his friends should be as miserable as he was. After all, it was HIS godfather that had gotten killed, not theirs.  
  
'And they are sad too. They just don't want to spend all their time thinking about it. They need to move on,' a voice in his head said.  
  
'Yeah, but would it kill them to be a bit more respectful? Is talking about what a blast they had this summer really the way to go? They're your friends. They should share your sorrow,' the much more bitter voice in his mind said. That voice seemed to be there more often than not, ever since Sirius had died.  
  
Harry tried to concentrate on something else. Luckily for him, they had just arrived to Hogsmeade. Everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, wanting to get to the castle as soon as possible. The Thestrals didn't bother him anymore. He just ignored them and tried not to look at them.  
  
It didn't take long for everything to get set, and in no time the carriages stopped near the stone steps leading up to the front doors.  
  
The Entrance Hall was lit with torches and grand chandeliers. The sound of footsteps bounced off the stone floor and wandered the halls as the students went through the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall.  
  
As always, the four long house tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the ceiling, which was like a sky full of stars, each sparkling in its own way.  
  
After finding seats together at the beginning of the table, the first thing Harry, Ron and Hermione did was to check the staff table. Hagrid winked at them, but it was more of an attempt to do so. The loss of Sirius has affected him too, because he knew how important Sirius was to Harry. Snape looked as pallid and mean as ever. Everybody looked almost the same as the last time Harry and the others had seen them. One chair was empty, as if they were waiting for someone else, and there was an addition to the table. A petite young woman with long blonde hair and an unreadable expression on her face.  
  
"I bet that is the new DADA teacher. I hope she isn't like the last two. Then again, anything is better than that mad woman Umbridge." Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione.  
  
Then the Sorting Ceremony began. The Sorting Hat sang its song, even weirder than the last time. After the last student, 'Zadravy, Nevenella', was sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"Welcome, all of you! I will make my speech later, but first we shall eat. Bon appetit!"  
  
Everybody in the hall laughed and applauded, but soon turned their attention to the dishes that were filling up with marvellous meals.  
  
"Hmmmph, fuis goetz bwetter eury tham!" said Ron with his mouth full of roast beef, seizing the nearest plate of tomato salad.  
  
"Harry, what do you think our new DADA professor is like?" asked Hermoine.  
  
He just kept pushing his food around the plate with his fork.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, what?" He looked as if Hermoine just pulled him out of deep thoughts. Then he remembered he should probably answer her question. "Her? I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see."  
  
Hermione wasn't really satisfied with that answer, but she let it go, and she turned to talk with a fellow Gyffindor on her other side.  
  
Eventually, the sound of students talking became louder, as their plates got emptier. Dumbledore took that as a sign for him to deliver his speech.  
  
"I hope you're all well sated. I beg for your attention, just for a few minutes, and then you'll be free to go to your common rooms. There are some usual notices that need to be repeated, just like every year. First-years AND several other students," he looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "should remember that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden. The name says so, and we should respect it." A few laughs came from the tables.  
  
"Magic is prohibited in the corridors between classes. Quidditch trials will be held soon. Madam Hooch will give you all the information needed. A list of other notices, as well prohibitions and rules, is posted in every common room. Please read it.  
  
"As you may have noticed, there is an addition to our teaching staff. Two, actually, but only one of them is currently present at the table. That is Miss Summers. She will be teaching a new class, called Defence, in which you will be taught how to defend yourselves without wands, but you will also find out a lot about Dark creatures that live not only in the wizarding world. Only sixth and seventh years will be attending that class."  
  
A collective gasp of wonder could be heard, and students looked confusedly at each other, wondering what was that all about.  
  
"You will find out more about everything related to it in your first Defence class. I ask you to show Professor Summers due respect, as I assure you that she has many qualifications for the job." Dumbledore turned to Buffy and smiled at her. "Welcome."  
  
She stood up, nodded at him and the students, and simply said, "thank you." Then she sat down. There was a round of polite applause, because nobody knew what to think of her yet.  
  
Dumbledore spoke again. "Now you must be wondering who your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is. Everybody except first and second years should already know him, because he taught here at Hogwarts almost three years ago."  
  
'No.It couldn't be.' Harry thought. If Dumbledore meant what Harry thought he did.  
  
"Please welcome back Professor Lupin." Dumbledore met Harry's eyes, smiling.  
  
Lupin entered the Great Hall, came to the staff table and took the empty chair.  
  
Now the applause was enthusiastic, because most students had liked Lupin when he had taught DADA, and had been sorry to see him leave. The exceptions were a few Slytherins, as always. Draco could already be heard talking to his friends, ".my dad won't let him stay, he still has connections, he'll talk to the Minister, I'm sure they can't let a werewolf stay as a teacher."  
  
Dumbledore quieted the Hall once more.  
  
"That will be all for now. You may go to your rooms. Have a good night. Classes begin tomorrow."  
  
***  
  
They got their timetables the next morning.  
  
"Look, mate, we have that new Professor today, Summers. And it's a double class! I wonder how she is," Ron told Harry as they went down the stairs to their first class, Herbology. Hermione had already gone to the Library, saying, "I just need to check one thing."  
  
"Yeah, but before that we have double Potions." said Harry absently.  
  
"We always do, you'd think we'd already be used to it. I don't get why they have to torture us that way. Well, at least it isn't with the Slytherins this time. It's Ravenclaws. They're okay." Ron was in a good mood.  
  
Hearing Ron mention Ravenclaws, Harry remembered Cho. He couldn't deal with that, not now. Not while the memory of his godfather's death was still fresh.  
  
"So, what do you think.." Ron continued, while Harry half-heartedly listened as they went through the Entrance Hall on their way to the greenhouses.  
  
***  
  
"Welcome to your first Defence class. I am Buffy Summers, and before you all laugh, I think that my mother was high when she named me too." That caused even more laughter, and Buffy looked around the class with a smile.  
  
"First of all, I am not officially a teacher. I haven't studied to be one. Yet, here I am. And you will respect me. I won't be constantly on your necks, nor will I be very strict. It hasn't been that long since my high school days and I still remember very vividly what it's like. But." Seeing the disappointed faces of the students when they heard the "but", Buffy laughed. "Oh come on, you knew there had to be a but coming!"  
  
Everybody laughed even more. By now, the sixth year Gryffindors were relaxed and taking a liking to Buffy. She was surely nothing like any other teacher they'd ever had.  
  
When the class quieted down again, Buffy continued, this time in a more serious tone.  
  
"When I do ask something of you, I want to have it done. There are a few things I will be serious about, and I expect you follow my rules. If you don't. Let's just say you'd better follow the rules," she said with a grin.  
  
"I will teach you how to defend yourselves when you have nothing to rely on but you. That means you won't be needing a wand in my class. Also, I am a Muggle, as you say, and I'm still learning about your world, so please forgive me when I make mistakes about it. If somebody is interested in doing an essay for me, explaining the basics of your life and customs, and how things work around here, I would very much appreciate it."  
  
A single hand shot in the air.  
  
"Yes, Miss.I'm afraid I don't know your names yet" Buffy said with an apologetic look on her face, "I'll try and learn them as soon as possible."  
  
"It's Granger, Professor. Hermione Granger. And I can do the essay. I am Muggle-born, so I know the differences between the two worlds," said Hermione.  
  
Buffy looked at her, smiling. "Thank you, Hermione. That would be very nice of you."  
  
Then she turned to the rest of the class.  
  
"Any more questions? You can come to me during class hours, if you have any more doubts or inquiries." She looked at her watch. "The class is almost over. I hope we will have a good time together this year."  
  
And then the bell rang, ending the class.  
  
*** 


	3. Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Chapter 3 : **Necessity is the Mother of Invention**

After that day's classes were over, Buffy walked through the corridors on her way to her chambers. They were situated near the Gryffindor Tower, but few people knew how to get there. Dumbledore told her a legend about a girl who slept for a hundred years in those chambers, until her true love came and kissed her. When that story sounded familiar to Buffy, Dumbledore explained her that one of the wizards, who knew about that legend, wrote a story about it in the world of Muggles. He called it "Sleeping Beauty". That's why at the entrance of the chambers there was a statue of a beautiful young girl. She told Buffy her name was Aurora.

Buffy came to the entrance and greeted Aurora.

"Rosa Espinosa," Buffy said the password. The statue made a bow, and the door opened.

Her rooms were the most beautiful place in the world, thought Buffy. There were three bedrooms, a large living room, and a very comfortable bathroom. She only used one of the bedrooms. It was decorated in gold and orange colours. Inside, there was a double bed, a desk with an armchair, a walk-in closet, and a corner to relax in. That was her favourite place in the chambers. It had lots of various sized cushions, all in warm tones. It could be separated from the rest of the bedroom by a golden curtain.

When Dumbledore first had first shown her the rooms, she had said it was too much for her. They hadn't been decorated at that point, and she had had no furniture. Then, with a wave of his hand, all the furniture had appeared, and it was just like in Buffy's dreams, all the things she had always wanted. Even the closet was full of clothes that were her style and size. Then she couldn't say no.

One of the remaining two bedrooms had been made into a training room. It had lots of space, and all the things Buffy needed to stay in shape. She could even fight something that looked like vampires, thanks to Dumbledore's spell. The other room was a spare room. She was told that her visitors could use that room. Not that she planned on having any. 

That reminded her that she should probably let her friends know what was going on. But what should she say? "Hey guys, I'm working as a teacher for wizards?!"

Then she figured how to solve that problem.

_"Dear Giles,_

I'm okay, you don't have to worry. I went to see you, Willow, and Dawn in Devonshire a few weeks ago, but something happened that prevented me from coming. I am in England, in a place I'm not sure you've heard of. It's called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is situated in the world of wizards, as you might've guessed. I came in here accidentally, waiting for the train to take me to you. I won't write any more details, because I don't know if it is okay for me to write about it. I'm sure you will find something about it if you want to. The Headmaster of the school, a man named Albus Dumbledore, offered me a teaching position. And I accepted it. I have no idea delete how long I will be here. I'm still trying to figure it all out, and this is a really nice place. That's why I'm writing all this to you. Please, you can decide what you will tell Dawn and Willow about my whereabouts. I think that is better then me writing to them, because I don't know what to say. I'm leaving it all in your hands. You always knew what to do. 

_I'll write to you again if and when something important happens. I hope you are all doing fine. Give my hugs and kisses to Dawn and Willow._

_With love,_

_Your Buffy"    _

She sealed the envelope and then she realized she didn't know how to send it. Were there any post offices near?

A few minutes later she arrived at Dumbledore's office.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something, but how do I send my letters? I don't think they go the same way as in my world," she said.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you about it. You send them by owl. You can find one in the owlery; one of the students can tell you where it is. The owls will know how to find the address, even if it is situated in your world. They'll even know how to find a person without the address," Dumbledore explained to her.

Half an hour later the owl was already on her way. 

***

After the first few weeks, everything fell into a routine. Buffy's classes were going great; almost all the students loved them. Granted, some didn't like the different methods she used, but that was their tough luck. 

Today she was having a double class with 7th year Ravenclaws. Her class was three times a week, and two of those times, it was a double period. In her double classes Buffy combined theory and practice, but it was mostly practice, because she taught theory in her singular class.

"Okay, everybody, good afternoon, and we're going to start right away. In pairs, please," said Buffy, getting up from her chair and taking her jacket off. The students were already in their training outfits, as Buffy had instructed them. They wore robes when they had theory, but for this they needed to be able to move freely.

"Today,  we will be working on defensive moves. First…" She trailed off when she saw a Hufflepuff student coming into the classroom.

"What's the matter, Ernie?" She was surprised, because usually nobody interrupted her class. She wondered what was all that about.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you, Professor Summers. He said you could dismiss the class, because it might take a while, and this is the last class of the day," said the boy.

Buffy turned to the Ravenclaws. They were already grinning, and she smiled too.

"Well, you heard what Ernie said. Class dismissed. Try not to cry too much."

Laughing, all the students were gone in two minutes. They didn't need to be told twice.

She had also said to Ernie he could go, and now she was taking her things, ready to go and see Dumbledore. He never called her during the classes. It probably had to be something or someone important.

'I only hope I'm not in trouble…'

 *** 

Entering his office, Buffy saw Dumbledore talking with Snape. She was on neutral grounds with Snape. She didn't like him too much but didn't mess with him either. She tried not to be in conflict with any of the professors. Snape thought she was too young and not qualified for the job, so he had tried to intimidate her the first few times they met. She ignored him and showed him it didn't mean a thing to her, and after a while he had stopped. That's why Buffy was now confused. What was he doing here with Dumbledore?

"Good afternoon," she greeted both Dumbledore and Snape. The latter just snarled.

"Hello, Buffy. I'm sorry I interrupted your class, but this is an emergency," said Dumbledore, motioning for her to sit down.

"I know my request might look a bit unusual to you, but I hope you will do it. It is important for the Order," said Dumbledore. Seeing Buffy's confused look, he remembered something. 

"I haven't told you about the Order of Phoenix yet? My, my, I must be getting old. You remember the things I told you about Lord Voldemort? Well, the Order of Phoenix is a secret society; it's the people who fought against Voldemort the last time and want to do it again. Of course, there are some additions, as we need younger people too. There is a prophecy concerning two more people who will be needed in the fight against Voldemort, and whose help will be crucial for the victory. Voldemort knows about that too, and he will do everything to get those two people on his side. I can't tell you their identities yet, nor can I tell you the prophecy. It isn't the time now. I have ordered something that we will need to get and keep these persons on our side. The problem is, we have to get it secretly. There is no way anyone can deliver it to us, so we have to go and get it. The friend who found it for me is having a ball tonight. There will be an opportunity to get the package. I'm sending Professor Snape, because he belongs to the Order, but he needs a date to get in."

"A date? What kind of ball is it anyway? There's no special occasion, is there? You can't think what I'm thinking…" Buffy said incredulously. 

"My friend and her people are… a bit peculiar. Some of them are witches and wizards in their own way, but they live in your world. That's why I'm asking you to go with Severus. You will know how to behave there and I'm sure you will fit in, and he can get the package. Please, Miss Summers, this is of great importance."

'A date with Snape? That will be really fun! Oh boy… I'm doomed.' Thinking about all that, Buffy noticed Snape hadn't said a word since she had come in.

"What do you think, Professor Snape? I mean, you have to have a say in this. I doubt you like this idea anymore than I do," she said to him.

"No, I don't, you can be sure of that. As if I would desire to go to a ball, and with you of all people…." Hearing Dumbledore cough, he stopped himself. "However, my duty is to do what I can to help the Order. And I have no other choice than to accept it."

Buffy realized this was a very big thing for Snape to do, and it took a lot from him to agree. He had to swallow his pride, which was probably the hardest thing for him. But she was sure he wouldn't do anything more to make their evening together easier… 

'Then, neither will I…' And a smile crept up her face. 

Turning to Dumbledore again, she asked, "When do I have to be ready?"

***

TBC...

Thank you for great feedback so far, I hope you'll like what is to come! Please keep on writing to me, I love hearing your opinions! Oh, and my new e-mail address is avefic@yahoo.com, because the old one doesn't work anymore. *shrug*

Thanks to: 

manticore-gurl071134

Village-Mystic

Erro

Buffy 101

Wicca Chick


	4. The Clothes Make the Man

A / N: Thank you all very much for your reviews, and please keep them coming! I hope you had a great Christmas and I wish you a very happy year 2004.! Oh, and don't worry, Angel is coming very soon! *g*

A / N 2: Serafina Pekkala is the name of one of the witches from Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. The information I give about her in the story is made up, and very different from the book. I'm just using her as a very minor character. 

Chapter 4 : **The Clothes Make the Man**

Three hours later, Buffy was finished with her make-up and clothes, and she was walking down the stairs on her way to the Entrance Hall. She was beautiful in an emerald dress that fell above her ankles, and Manolo Blahnik shoes in the same colour. Once again, she was grateful for her big closet, where she could find clothes and shoes of all kinds, even the most expensive ones. Her dress had a modest cut in the front, but left her back bare. The only jewelry she wore was a simple bracelet and matching earrings. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, leaving a few strands loose. One of the house elves did had done her hair. She had been surprised when she'd seen that they were capable of so much more than just cleaning and cooking. She wore very little make-up. Just mascara on her eyes, and lip-gloss. 

On her way she met quite a few students. The boys had their tongues on the floor, some even whistled, and the girls watched her, wishing they could wear something like that.

Finally, she got out of the castle and went to the place where she was supposed to meet Snape. They didn't want to meet inside the school, because that would be too strange. He was already there, looking bored. When he saw her, he involuntarily straightened. He looked as though he was going to say something but didn't. He motioned for her to follow him, instead. They were going by car, because it wasn't far from there. They were going to go through a portal which would lead them to the place. Buffy didn't know where it was situated, nor did she care. They had a driver; her job was to sit and be quiet.

Snape opened the door and got in the car first. Buffy took a deep breath and followed him.

'Bring on the fun! I might as well make this enjoyable for me, if not for him.'

"So, Severus… Can I call you Severus? I mean, it would be weird tonight if I didn't. I can't call you Professor Snape all the time. It's too long. Glad we have that settled. You can call me Buffy if you want. So, do you guys here have school dances? You know, where the girls wear dresses like me, and the boys have tuxedos on, like you? 'Cause this reminds me of going to my high school dances. Of course, my Prom was another story, but let's stay focused on happy thoughts, shall we? Why don't I tell you about…" She continued babbling just for the sake of it, and hearing Snape grinding his teeth  made her smile and gave her the motivation to continue…all the way…

***

The ball was being held in an ancient castle. Torches added even more mystique to the place, and they made Buffy feel strangely comforted. 

She and Snape entered the garden hand in hand, much to dismay of both of them. They were forced to do it by the simple fact that their invitation was to Mr. and Mrs. Snape. Buffy was sure that Dumbledore had found that amusing, especially since he hadn't told either one of them anything about it.

"Now that we're here, we'd better get the job done," whispered Buffy to Snape. "I'm going to go and mingle, you probably know what you have to do."

"Don't tell me what to do, _young _Miss Summers," answered Snape maliciously.   "I'm not your playtoy. If it were for up to me, you'd still be home playing with dolls or going to school. You certainly need better education."

He turned around and went on his way, and Buffy called to him with a wicked grin on her face, ignoring all the things he said. "Oh, and don't take too long, husband dearest!" 

She took a glass of champagne from the waiter and started walking around, scanning the people around her. The ages differed from the early 20s to late 50s. Some were dressed in the latest fashion, and some wore what to Buffy seemed to be prehistoric clothes, even robes. All in all, it was a very colourful group.

Taking another sip of champagne, she decided to go and sit on a nearby bench. Then, a familiar place among the crowd caught her attention.

"Giles?!"

She quickly went over to him and hugged him.

"It's all right, Buffy…" he said smiling, "but I do need to breathe, so please loosen up a bit."

She let go of him and took him by the hand instead. He led her to the bench, and they sat down.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Devonshire? How is everybody? How are things going?" 

"Easy, we have enough time to talk. I'm here visiting a friend, Serafina Pekkala. She organized this ball. She is a Gypsy, one of Jenny's clan." Hhe stopped Buffy before she could ask anything. "I'll explain. I accidentally met her a year or so ago. We stayed in touch. She knows all about Jenny, and she doesn't share all the opinions of her clan. Willow and Dawn are fine…"

Buffy noticed the change of subject, but she let it go. She could find out more later.

"They're having a good time. We're trying to find what is left of some of the old Watcher families, so that we can recruit new people. So far, it's going very well, better than I had expected. But we still have a long way to go. About your letter… I told Willow that you are at Hogwarts, because I knew she'd heard of it. She's happy for you, and she will write to you too. Now, Dawn… We decided not to tell her exactly where you are], so she wouldn't worry too much. She knows you are doing fine."

"Thank you, Giles. It is so good to see you here. I really am doing fine. The students are great, and the job isn't all that hard. And you should see my chambers… I hope I don't start talking like you! Oh gosh, I have to get cable TV, or I'll forget my God awful language!" They laughed together, and Giles sensed Buffy had found a fraction of her long lost peace.

"I'm glad. I knew you would do fine…." He trailed off when he saw a man approaching them.

"Oh no, he's back already! I didn't mean it seriously when I told him…" muttered Buffy.

Giles looked at her surprised. "You know this man?"

"Sadly, yes. And that means I've gotta go. You don't know how much this meant to me. Give my kisses and hugs to the girls. I miss you all, but this is better for us now." She stood up and gave him a big hug.

"I know, Buffy. Stay in touch. And take care." He looked in her eyes, letting her know what he meant. She smiled.

"I will," she answered and walked to Snape, who was already waiting impatiently, a small package in his hands.

"You are wasting our time. We have to leave now; it is too dangerous to have this out in the open for too long. And I don't even want to ask who that was…"

Turning over her shoulder to give Giles one last look, she answered, "Just an old friend."

***

TBC…


	5. As Long as We Are Among Humans, Let Us B...

A / N : I'm sorry for the delay, RL is really getting into the way. I'm hoping I'll write more soon, but I have to get some free time to do so. I have a few more chapters already written, so they'll be coming soon. I'm also thinking of starting another story (this one will also be continued, don't worry), but we'll see about that.  
  
A / N 2: I now have a page with my fic, courtesy of Ralkana, so please check it out, as it will probably be updated a bit more often than ff.net. You can also follow the happenings in my life and see how the fics are going on my LiveJournal : . Please leave a comment, I love getting in contact with all of you!  
  
Enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think! Feedback is food for my fickle feisty muse! *g*  
  
Disclaimers and such in Chapter 1  
  
Chapter 5 : As Long as We Are Among Humans, Let Us Be Humane Days went by quickly, each bringing something new. Buffy grew accustomed to her new home, and Hermione's essay helped her better understand the differences between the two worlds. The professors and the staff treated her well, just like she was one of them, and the few exceptions that didn't do so didn't really matter to her. But one of her colleagues interested her more than the others, and that was just the one she bumped into. She carried nothing so no damage there, but he had his arms full of books. Books that were currently all over the floor. 'Great, really Slayerish. I can't even watch where I'm going...' "I'm really sorry, Professor Lupin, I was careless. Here, I'll help you," she apologized as she bent down to pick up the books. Lupin just smiled; he wasn't offended at all. But he had an idea... "It's okay, we all have such days. You could come to my office for a cup of coffee or tea, if you really want to compensate. I would like to get to know you better. You seem quite mysterious." Buffy pretended to be considering the offer for a while, and when she had all the books in her arms, she turned to Lupin, "Same goes for you. I'd be glad to join you for a coffee." *** Buffy followed Lupin to his office. She noticed it was sparsely furnished, with only a desk, a few chairs and a shelf filled with books. She had an office too, but she didn't use it very often. It was situated apart from her private rooms, as most of the staff's offices were. Hers was, she had noticed on their way to Lupin's office, situated pretty close to his. As a matter of fact, their offices and one or two unused ones were the only rooms on seventh floor, or at least on that part of the floor. Everything else was just blank walls, except for an enormous tapestry depicting something that to Buffy looked like trolls doing their version of ballet and a wizard watching them. 'Nothing should surprise me anymore...' After she sat on one of the chairs, Buffy spoke first. "I didn't know your office was close to mine. But then again, I don't spend much time there, so..." "There are probably a lot of things we don't know about this castle. Sometimes it is better left that way," answered Lupin, with a somewhat melancholic look in his eyes. It seemed as if he was remembering some things that weren't quite pleasant. Then, the look disappeared, and he turned his attention back to Buffy. "However, in this case, I must say it is a nice discovery. I've wanted to talk to you since we both came here, but there never was an opportune moment. Maybe now that moment has come." Buffy didn't quite know what to think, but she felt that Lupin could be trusted, and she too wanted to ask him about some things that confused her. "I was never much for beating around the bush, so I'll be honest. From what I've heard, you've already taught here. Why did you leave? I mean, the kids like you, so it couldn't have been that. What's your story? If you don't want to share, fine, but I think you do. Otherwise you wouldn't have asked me here."  
  
He smiled again, "Quite right, Miss Summers. May I call you Buffy?" Seeing her nod, he continued.  
  
"I sense something about you. It's like...power coming off you, both physical and mental. It sort of envelops me when we are really near. Not the frightening kind of power, more like a comforting one. That's how I know I can talk to you about me, although it isn't much of a secret anymore. I am sure you've noticed I go missing 3 three days a month? I have the flu, or my head hurts, or something similar... At least that's the version the students hear. Do you have any idea of the real reason I'm missing?" Something clicked inside Buffy's head... Three days...Three nights... Memories came to her. Tranquilizer shots. Library cage. Taciturn guy. Oz. "You're a... werewolf?" Somehow, that fact didn't surprise her as she thought it should. "I am. With the help of Wolfsbane Potion, I am able to keep my mind when I transform, as long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon. Dumbledore and most of the professors know that. That's why I left, because the parents wouldn't let their children be near a werewolf. However, circumstances have changed. People have much more important things to worry about. So I came back. Now, how did you know what I was? Not that I'm surprised you did, but I'm still curious." She thought about what she was going to tell him. He seemed sincere, genuinely interested. But Buffy had learned in her years as the Slayer that sometimes things weren't what they seemed... "I had a friend that was a werewolf. We went to high school together. He was a great guy. Never talked much, but everything he said meant something. Him being a werewolf didn't mean he was different from us, except he was a monster three nights a month. So what? We all have our bad days." "What happened to him?" "It's a long story," started Buffy, but seeing the I-have-enough-time look on Lupin's face, she continued. "Or maybe not so long. He was dating my best friend. They were really great together. But then, another werewolf came, a female one, and he was attracted to her. It went kinda bad, and he figured he was a danger to all of us, especially his girlfriend, Willow. He went in search of peace. When he thought he'd found it, he came back, but things had changed. I don't know where he is now. I miss him sometimes." She remembered all the good times they'd had together, Willow, Oz, Xander and her. Even Cordy, sometimes. She couldn't help but wonder. What if he'd never left? Or if Willow hadn't chosen Tara? What would've happened? 'No point dwelling on the past. I can't change it. I wish I knew at least where he was now...' Lupin's voice broke her out of her reverie. "I think I know the feeling. Being afraid for the safety of your dear ones. I had good friends too, when I was here at Hogwarts. The four of us, we were inseparable. Many things have happened since then... But you still haven't told me anything about yourself." Buffy couldn't bring herself to lie to him, so she chose to be honest, as much as she could at that point. "I can't. Not yet. I don't want to lie, and I'm not ready to tell you the truth. Can you deal with that? I would like for us to become friends, and maybe one day I will tell you. Everything is just too complicated. I'm sorry, here you told me all about you...." Lupin cut her off. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. When the time comes you will know. Don't worry," he said and then changed the subject. "Have you ever been to Hogsmeade? There are all sorts of...." And so they continued to talk about Hogsmeade, Disneyworld, cable TV, and a million other things. They talked all afternoon, until dinner, when their stomachs said it was time to stop. *** TBC... 


End file.
